Shawe Junior High religious studies explore the basic tenets of the faith in a course titled Introduction to Catholicism. The curriculum explains what it means to be Catholic. The following topics are covered over two years:

• Church

• Prayer

• Holiness

• The Trinity

• The Blessed Virgin Mary

• Sacred Scripture / The Old and New Testaments

• The Ten Commandments – A study of each

• The Sacraments – A study of each

• The Rosary & Mysteries of the Rosary

• The Saints

Grade 9: Revelation of Jesus Christ in Scripture & Who Is Jesus Christ?

Grade 10 & Grade 11: The History of the Church I & II

The comprehensive history of the Catholic Church is studied over two years in the courses History of the Church I and History of the Church II. The curriculum covers every major event in the Church’s history through present day. The text places the Church in its context throughout history and explains the role that the Church and its leaders have played in the shaping of history for better or worse. The following topics are covered over two years:

• The Roman World, Jesus Christ and the founding of the Church

• Early Christians, Persecutions, Church Fathers and Heresies

• Light in the Dark Ages

• The Great Schism, Collapse, Corruption and Reform in Europe and the Church

• The Crusades and the Inquisition, the High Middle Ages, and the Renaissance

• The Reformation: Protestant and Catholic

• Wars of Religion, Exploration and Missionary Movements

• The Age of Enlightenment, The French Revolution, and Napoleon

• The Nineteenth Century: The Church gives witness in wars and revolutions

• Vatican II and the Church in the Modern World

• The Church in the United States

Grade 12: Our Moral Life in Christ and Theology of the Body

The culmination of religious study at Shawe Memorial is divided into distinct semester courses. The first semester of the senior year focuses on how God calls each student. Topics range from the existence of God, reasons for unbelief, how we listen to God, the Mystery of the Trinity, Creation and Evolution, the Fall of Man, God’s governance and providence, and finally the ultimate goal of life.

The second semester is a study of Pope John Paul’s Theology of the Body. The goal is to lead students to a discovery of God’s plan for love and marriage. A practical application is also explored by using the text, Good News About Sex and Marriage by Peter West.

Prince of Peace Catholic Schools prepare students to lead meaningful lives by combining rigorous academics with opportunities for exploration and reflection.